SIDE STORY 1 (Part 8)

Rienn let out a lustful moan, her hips bucking and stroking his back. Especially when he sucked harder on the n*pple, his body responded even more. Dian couldn’t help but feel her shiver and the sway of her waist, feeling the connection between them.

He was both confused and pleased. If he was right, Rienn was getting ar*used. The realization that he was arousing her gave him an indescribable feeling of satisfaction and excitement. He didn’t know if the prolonged act was enhancing her ar*usal.

“Mmm….”

The pleasing moans resonated in his ears, and Dian continued to suckle tirelessly. He loved the way Rienn touched his back and bucked her hips. And he felt a vague sense of confidence. He had no experience, but he knew that if he tried, he could make Rienn feel good.

Dian was tempted to act on his impulse right away. He wanted to lift Rienn’s dress, offering even greater pl*asure.

But he didn’t.

Suppressing his instincts with reason, Dian maintained a calm demeanor. Such matters required careful consideration.

Rienn’s reaction was natural since she was in the middle of a ritual, her n*pples and ar*olas, her er*genous zones, were being stimulated. He couldn’t interpret that into wanting to have s*x with him. Being aroused and having s*x were two completely different things. If Rienn wanted to do it, he believed she would clearly express it.

Dian just kept piling on the stimulation, waiting for her to say something.

“!”

Suddenly, Rienn wrapped one arm around him and hugged him. A moment of joy filled his heart,

“I’m glad you’re well.”

Then she pushed his shoulders away with her palms. His hand and lips fell away from her chest in unison. Pulled away abruptly, a trickle of milk dripped from Dian’s lips. Utterly flustered, he closed his eyes, trying to assess the situation.

“……Rienn.”

“Yeah.”

At the sound of clothes rustling, he reflexively turned his body. Reinn dressed faster than ever and quickly stood up from her seat. Dian opened his eyes and immediately stood up as well.

“Are we done now?”

Her voice was cold, her face expressionless.

“Yes. Thank you so much, Rienn.”

Dian tried to hide his confusion and meet Rienn’s gaze, but she turned away as if she disliked it.

“You’ve been through a lot, too. I’m going home now.”

“You’re going home?”

“Yeah.”

Rienn quickly walked away as if she were running. Dian followed her, his heart pounding, unsure of what to do.

“You were supposed to go tomorrow morning. Why the sudden change?”

“I’ve changed my mind. I’ll go pack my things tonight and head straight to our estate.”

“You haven’t even had dinner yet. At least have dinner first, and if you still want to go, I’ll take you.”

“It’s fine.”

Rienn cut him off, gathering up her meager belongings.

“I’ve been away for over a fortnight, and I’m sure there’s a lot of business to take care of. You can eat your dinner, and I can go alone.”

“Rienn.”

He lightly grabbed Rienn’s arm, feeling fearful.

“What’s wrong, huh?”

He couldn’t understand the sudden change in attitude.

“My task is done. There’s no need for me to stay here any longer.”

Before he could reply, Rienn spoke up.

“I want to go home.”

Rienn was stoic and bright and usually tearless. Seeing her face, which seemed like she could cry at any moment, Dian released his grip on her hand. He had no choice.

For a moment, Rienn looked like she didn’t want to be here. There was a certain urgency about her as if the building was on fire and she was in a hurry to get out. Dian spoke to Angela instead of him, arranging for a carriage, and they went out to wait for it at the entrance. Dian followed her like a shadow, trying to make eye contact and engage in conversation.

“Rienn, tell me if I’ve done anything wrong.”

“You didn’t do anything wrong.”

Rienn shook her head, still looking like she might cry.

“We’ll see each other again but I’m leaving now.”

As she turned to leave, she soothingly promised

“…….”

“The carriage is here. Goodbye, Dian.”

Rienn quickly climbed into the carriage without looking back. Dian stood there in the darkness, watching as the carriage moved further away. He stood there, feeling helpless.

***

After Rienn’s departure for their Marquisate, Dian experienced the most turbulent period of his life.

Rienn had saved his dying life, giving him a happiness that resembled paradise, only to leave suddenly. She left him with a broken heart.

Dian stayed in the capital, tied down with scheduled appointments. He reluctantly attended meetings and gatherings he had no interest in, thinking only of Rienn and the final healing ritual.

Had I been too eager for it because it was the last, thus prolonging it excessively? Perhaps I had sucked on one spot long and hard and it had hurt.

But her reaction was one of aroused…….

She was excited because she had no choice but to be excited, but did she hate that it was me?

As if Rienn had realized who it was halfway through, she quickly pushed him away and ended the ritual. She’d agreed to the healing ritual to save his life, but of course, she didn’t want to engage in s*xual activity.

She had been avoiding me since before the last healing ritual…….

Maybe she didn’t see me as anything more than a friend after all.

The healing ritual had brought them closer than ever before, only to push them further apart than ever before.

‘We’ll see each other again.’

Dian clung to those words as a glimmer of hope, waiting for the day he would meet her again. She would be enjoying time with her family upon reaching the Marquisate. He would be going down after joining his father in attending a meeting of the nobility. Afterwards, his father would continue to their Duchy, while he would turn directly to the Marquisate, to Rienn.

A few days later, on a night when Dian was preparing to leave after the noble meetings ended, an unexpected letter arrived from Yan.

How are you, Dian?

The gift was gratefully received. A dagger of Garolo Biator couldn’t be any better.

We’ll have to meet up soon to test it out.

By the way, Rienn left for the capital earlier.

Did you know? Well, now you do.

Dian reread the short letter, which seemed to be written in rapid succession.

Rienn left for the capital, why……?

It didn’t say why, so he didn’t know what happened.

What happened in the capital?

As far as he knew, nothing special had happened. Despite his own will, he had attended numerous gatherings and meetings and heard various news, but there was nothing that would lead Rienn to the capital. Since it hadn’t been long since she went to the Marquisate, something must have happened for her to return…

Although he couldn’t guess the reason, he naturally postponed his departure. He truthfully informed his father.

“Rienn is coming to the capital?”

“Yes. I’m going to wait and see what’s going on and then go down with her.”

“I see.”

His father knew his feelings for Rienn.

Both of them were reserved, and there wasn’t much exchange of words between them. His father raised his hand and firmly grabbed his shoulder.

“Don’t overexert yourself, and take care of your health.”

“Yes, Father.”

Dian bowed his head in respect.

After his father left, he waited for Rienn to come. He couldn’t go to greet her in case they missed each other on the way, so he checked the date and her arrival status every day, knowing it would take about ten days due to the distance. As the time for Rienn’s arrival approached, his heart began to beat faster, but an unwelcome invitation from the king arrived.

He had been turning down every invitation he could get, not knowing when Rienn would arrive, but the king’s invitation was harder to refuse. It seemed as if he had been called by the king himself, knowing that he was still in the capital. Dian had no choice but to accept.

“Lord of Hidesen!”

The young king, in his early thirties, had always been favorable and fond of him. Dian listened to the king’s nonsense, swallowing many words. It was not until late into the night, when the drinking session had progressed, that he was finally able to escape.

“Ha…….”

Feeling unusually annoyed, Dian headed back to the mansion. He washed away the strong smell of alcohol with a bath, changed into fresh clothes, and immediately headed to Rienn’s mansion. For some inexplicable reason, he felt as if Rienn had already arrived. Behind the blooming garden, a beautiful mansion came into view.

His heart pounded like a drum. Dian hurriedly stepped into the mansion. As he passed through the entrance and looked around the hall,

“…….”

He caught sight of Rienn’s back on the stairs.

She turned around, wearing a white dress. When she spotted him, her eyes widened in surprise.

“!!!”

“Rienn.”

Looking into her pale blue eyes, Dian approached her confidently this time, without any hesitation.